SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The state Public Service Commission today called a halt to its effort to add a second area code to the region served by 315, citing a new forecast that shows ample capacity in 315 until the fall of 2016.

That marks the third time since 1999 that the PSC has launched a proceeding to add a Central New York area code only to put it on hold.

"Due to the potential disruption that could be created when a new area code is added, it is prudent to temporarily postpone this proceeding given that extra time now exists before a decision must be made," PSC Chair Audrey Zibelman said. "However, as a result of all of the comments and suggestions we have received during the past months, we should be able to restart the proceeding quickly should the need arise."

The commission sent a notice in June asking for comments on how best to implement a second area code in the 18-county region served by 315, after receiving a forecast that area code 315 would be depleted of new phone prefixes by the first quarter of 2015. This year's proceeding picked up from where the previous effort, launched in 2007, left off.

But every six months, in April and October, comes a new forecast from the North American Numbering Plan Administration, which regulates area codes. NANPA last month pushed back the expected date of area code 315's exhaustion to the third-quarter of 2016.

Some Central New York politicians who had urged the PSC to avoid a new area code if possible celebrated today's announcement.

"People in my district spoke loudly and with one united voice: Splitting our 315 area code or adding new numbers from our region to a different area code would be a major inconvenience," said state Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-Rome.

For now, the PSC has put off its decision on how a second area code would be added, whether to "overlay'' a new code across the same geography served by 315, or split 315 into two separate area codes. But most likely they'll be back.